


Slightly Less So

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Bad Jokes, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Sick Ashe (Fire Emblem), Sickfic, Soft Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Stubborn Ashe, nurse felix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 07:15:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23967487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: In which a sick Ashe is only slightly less stubborn than he was last time, and Felix can't tell a joke to save his life.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 2
Kudos: 57





	Slightly Less So

**Author's Note:**

> _Author's Choice, Any, "I'm feeling a little horse." ... "I think that horse needs an adult."_

If you let him, Ashe Ubert would work through a cold until he faceplanted into the floor and had to be carried to bed. Felix had gone in knowing this when he befriended, then started dating him. So when he first suspected Ashe was coming down with the bug everyone seemed to be getting, he asked the rest of the Blue Lions for advice on how to curb such stubbornness. Even the boar's retainer, much as it pained him, and he was one of the most helpful.

So of course he was shocked when he saw Ashe actually coming out of the infirmary after class that morning.

"I couldn't concentrate," he admitted, coughing into his sleeve. "And I felt bad for the professor having to explain things twice. I felt like I'd just be a burden if I stuck around."

Felix blinked.

"You figured this out on your own? Last time-"

" _Because_ of last time," Ashe said, sniffling. "I only kept soldiering on because I thought it'd be best for everyone if I did, but remember how you called me an idiot and told me how worried everyone was when I passed out?" Felix's cheeks burned. He'd instantly regretted his words, one of the first of many signs he was developing feelings for Ashe.

He put an arm around his boyfriend's shoulders and smoothed his messy hair.

"Come on," he said. "I'll help you back to you room." Ashe smiled weakly, leaning against his shoulder.

"Thanks." Felix blushed again. It was still weird and embarrassing being this affectionate towards someone, but little by little he was getting used to it. There was somethibg about Ashe that managed to slip past his walls and make him _want_ to be gentler, honestly.

Ashe was becoming feverish by the time they got back to his room, and he looked half-dead on his feet. He looked away while Ashe changed clothes (somehow watching a person change was more of a big deal once they were your boyfriend, Felix thought) and helped him into bed. Ashe fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and Felix let him sleep while he went to the infirmary and then the dining hall to gather water, medicine, and food.

When he returned less than twenty minutes later, Ashe was awake, trying to look nonchalant as he held his archery theory book in shaking hands. He was pale and sweaty and sniffling and looked ready to pass out again any second. Felix frowned, setting the tray down and crossing the room, yanking the book from Ashe's hands.

_So much for learning your lesson._

"I thought you were going to rest," he said pointedly.

"I did," Ashe coughed, "then I felt a little better, so-"

"So you decided to push your luck?" Felix shook his head. "I thought you were finally getting past this stubborn thing of yours."

"I did! This time I went back to my room before I passed out," Ashe argued. "It's just a little reading, I don't wanna fall behind just because of a little cold. It's not like I'm going out and picking up my actual bow." He barely got out the last few words before he started sneezing, followed by a series of painful-sounding coughs. Felix winced, grabbing Ashe's books and putting them on a high shelf. _You stubborn fool, look how miserable you are._ He sat down and carefully rubbed his back until the coughing stopped.

_If the squire in the book ever got sick this is exactly what he'd do,_ he thought as Ashe slumped against his shoulder with a defeated moan. Felix dug a rumpled handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the sweat from Ashe's forehead before handing it to him.

"Here." Ashe nodded, wiping his nose and curling more into Felix's side.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't apologize. If I can live through Sylvain puking all over my shoes, I can live with this." Felix smiled a little. "I brought you some soup, and Professor Manuela gave me some medicine for you. Do you need anything else?"

"Some tea might be nice," Ashe admitted. "I'm feeling a little hoarse."

"I think that horse needs an adult," Felix quipped without thinking, and immediately regretted it. _Shit. Shit, shit, shit, what is _wrong_ with me, even Alois wouldn't make such a stupid joke! No, it's more than stupid, it's obscene! Felix, you **moron** , why-_

Ashe _laughed._ For some unknown, ungodly reason, Ashe laughed.

"I'm sorry!" he croaked. "I-I'm not making fun of you, I swear, that was just-it was _bad,_ but-" He paused to cough into the handkerchief still in his palm. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Believe me, neither did I," Felix muttered. "I wanted to lighten the mood, you sounded so pathetic and miserable I thought I'd try to make a joke."

"Well, it helped a _little._ " Ashe smiled. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone else about this." Felix sighed, pulling Ashe closer to him and kissing the top of his head.

"I'll make you some tea," he said as he let go of him and stood up, taking the tray and placing it on Ashe's lap. "It won't be long, I promise. Take the medicine first, Professor Manuela said it's kind of bitter so you'll want to chase it with that soup."

"All right." Ashe grimaced at the vial of purplish liquid, then downed it as quickly as he could. "Ugh."

"I know. But it'll clear your head by this evening, she swears it."

Thankfully, by the time Felix returned with a cup of Ashe's favorite mint tea, no books were in sight, the soup bowl was nearly empty, and Ashe looked less pathetic than earlier.

"Thanks again, Felix," Ashe murmured, gratefully taking the cup. "I really appreciate this, you really are-"

"Shut up and drink your tea," Felix gently cut him off. "And I'm skipping the next few days of class to take care of you. Don't argue, I already told the professor and she said yes." Ashe smiled against the rim of the cup.

"You're really okay with that? You'll miss out on your training, too."

"There's no one _to_ train with. Everyone else is sick or getting sick or just getting over it," Felix said. "And even if they weren't, well..." He sat down beside Ashe's bed, patting his shoulder. "I'd rather be here." _You're more important._

Luckily, Ashe didn't launch into another sappy speech of gratefulness, but his smile said everything.

_I love you too, you pure-hearted, stubborn, overworking idiot,_ Felix thought.


End file.
